PlanetSolar is moored at the port of the Isola della Certosa. It will remain in the lagoon until May 2015, to take part in an archaeological research project and introduce itself to the wider public.
It glides across the water with its 35 metres in length, 512 square metres of photovoltaic panels, two 60 kW electric motors, zero CO2 emissions and unlimited range. These are the features that make it a one-of-a-kind vessel and a worthy representative of the mobility of tomorrow.
Having arrived in early September after completing a round-the-world voyage touching 28 countries, from the United States to Australia, Ms Turanor PlanetSolar is today moored at the Isola della Certosa in Venice, one of the largest islands in the lagoon city and the protagonist of a remarkable regeneration project.
The boat was built in 20 months thanks to a 15 million euro investment by German entrepreneur Immo Stroeher, a staunch advocate of renewable energy and solar power in particular. It is made of carbon fibre and is capable of sailing for 72 consecutive hours in complete darkness, thanks to an impressive battery pack weighing no less than 9 tonnes.
"MS Turanor PlanetSolar, winner of 6 Guinness World Records, has not only completed the first solar-powered voyage around the world, but has also successfully carried out two unique scientific missions in 2013 and 2014," explains Immo Stroeher. The boat has now arrived in Venice, following last year's Greek expedition during which, in collaboration with the University of Geneva, it studied submerged prehistoric sites off the Franchthi Cave in the Gulf of Kiladha.
When regeneration works. The Isola della Certosa could not have been a more fitting berth for PlanetSolar. One of the largest islands in Venice, it has been the subject of a wide-ranging regeneration project. Spearheaded and developed by the company Vento di Venezia, the island has been regenerated as a "green" nautical hub, through the full restoration of the island to create a publicly accessible, barrier-free park, the development of equipped areas and pathways, and the conservation of the natural heritage across more than two thirds of the entire surface. "It is within this context that the partnership with PlanetSolar sits," says Alberto Sonino, the company's chief executive. "We would indeed like to encourage the use of solar boats in Venice, at least in the historic centre and in the lagoon."